Telephone or like system



' Jul 23, 1946.

R. TAYLOR ET AL TELEPHONE OR LIKE SYSTEM Filed oct. 24, 1941 s Sheets-Shee t 1 YB 4 f0 NRA -wvw-9--}-4 1 7a,]. H

H 122A" 0+ o---c a; Ml/LT SP5 3 a '5 E y Y 1 c I 1: 14% H"%- -H-% 6 -|H|--%---v( 1 m -1 1 I j E 8 B.O kg, 4mm) I 9 i u s] H 5A9 H 4, \SFJO m 1 loo E60 7 INVENTORS.

REGINALD TAYLOR GEORGE .THOMAS BAKER ARTHUR CHARLES CORNER ATTORNEY.

y 1946- R. TAYLOR ETAL TELEPHONE OR LIKE SYSTEM Filed Oct. 24, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /////////////////////////////IIIII/LL ATTQRN E Y Patented July 23, 1946 TELEPHONE OR LIKE SYSTEM Reginald Taylor and George Thomas Baker, Liverpool, Engiand, and Arthur Charles Corner; Calcutta, India, assignors, by mesne assignments, to AutomaticElectric Laboratories, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application October '24, 1941, Serial No. 416,378 In Great Britain November 13, 1940 21 Claims. 1

The present invention is concerned with call recording arrangements for use in telephone systems and while in particular it is applicable to arrangements of the type whereby calls can be recorded automatically against calling parties on punched cards or tickets it has application to manual recording arrangements if thefull automatic equipment is not desired.

It is an object of the invention to provide a comparatively inexpensive and efiicient call recording system of the above type and preferably one in which use is made of accounting machines of known mechanical or electromechanical types such as are often already employed by telephone administrations.

The number of local fee calls or calls which are registered on subscribers meters per day on a large telephone exchange is very high and may be of the order of 100,000 fora busy 10,000 line exchange. To produce individual tickets or cards for each of these calls is obviously out of the question due to the large amount of tickets involved. The object of the invention is to provide an automatic record While keeping the number of tickets within reasonable bounds.

According to one feature of the invention a connection is set up periodically between subscribers line equipment and recording equipment to enable the aggregate value of calls chargeable against a subscriber to be ascertained. According to a second feature of the invention a circuit change is brought about in a subscribers line equipment each time a predetermined aggregate value of calls is registered against said subscriber, provision being made to prevent the circuit change persisting after a record has been made. The predetermined aggregate value of calls may conveniently vary with the calling rate of the individual subscriber.

For a lightly used residential telephone a ticket might be issued for a block equivalent to ten unit fee calls, while for heavier loaded installations blocks of twenty, fifty and one hundred unit fee 7 calls per ticket are proposed. Hence the number of tickets for the above-mentioned type of exchange may be reduced to the order of 2,000 per day, and if they are made reasonably small in size the handling of such quantities should present no problem.

According to one feature of the invention each time a predetermined aggregate value of calls is registered against a subscriber the identity of the subscriber is automatically ascertained and recorded, for instance; the identity may be trans- 2 ferred. toa common position where a record may be made either manually or automatically,

According to a further feature of the invention,

recording equipment is operated independently of a connection between two subscriber to record block unit calls against subscribers over whose lines the aggregate value of calls made reaches a predetermined value.

According to a further feature of the invention an arrangement is provided according to which each time a certain va'lue of calls has 'been registered against a subscriber a signal is operated' to cause automatic recording apparatus to be set in operation to record the designation of the subscriber. Preferably a counting arrangement is associated with each of a number of subscribers lines and is adapted to be operated step-by-step in accordance with the valu .of calls, storage-means being provided for causing a signal to be given each time a counting arrangement is operated through a'predetermined extent to enable the charge to the subscriber to be recorded in multiples of the units registered on the counting arrangement. For this purpose a momentary contactmay be made each time the counting arrangement or motor is operated past a certain position or positions to cause the storage device to operate, the operation of said storage device in turn controlling the operation of common equipment to cause the number of the line with which the storage. device is associated to be recorded and the storage device to be restored. in readiness to bev again operated when the meter again reaches the said position or if there are more than one of saidpositions, the

next position. Conveniently the ticket is punched or printed with the value of the calls against the number of the subscriber.

The storing of the block values of callsmay be conveniently eiiected by a relay with a locking circuit but as this would mean a relay for each line a further feature of the invention concerns the employment of a gas discharge device to perform the functions of a relay whereby a 'considerable saving may be effected as regards the costrof equipment individual to a subscribers line. This feature while particularly applicable to the storage of a block value of calls has also more general application such as the replacement of a line relay and consists essentially of a momentary contact being adapted to cause th striking of a gas discharge tube, the circuit being maintained at a lower voltage, independent of the momentary contact and the discharge tube being restored to normal'by having its terminal short circuited.

the condensers would retain a detectable charge after the discharge had been extinguished.

means & C011 These and other features of the invention will be better understood from the following descrip tion of one method of carrying the invention into eifect, reference being had to the accompanying drawings comprising Figs; 1-3 which should be 7 arranged side by side, with Fig. 1 on the left, te form a circuit diagram of a completely automatic equipment for aggregating and ticketing local fee calls. Such calls have been hitherto usually recorded on a meter mechanism individual to each subscriber, the meters being usually mounted "together on a separate rack so as toifacilit'ate the reading or photographing of their indications for accounting purposes. For unit fee calls the i meters are operated once 'where'calls of higher value are registered in the meter, the meters are operated twice or more times according to the value of the cal1,-while where the calls are charged for on a duration basis the meter may be repeatedly operated for a single call.

For the purpose of aggregating the total charge 'to bemade'to each subscriber, use is'made of a counting device similar to subscribers electromechanical step-by-step meter mechanism but modified to provide a fleeting electrical contact each time a predetermined number of calls is 7 registered.

"As is known to those versed in the telephone art the subscribers meter consists of an electromagnet, the armature of which operates, a set of counters via aratchet and pawl mechanism; the V counters of a four digit meter comprising units,

tens, hundreds and thousands wheels. The thousands and hundredswheels are not required in the present instance and can be removed while the tens wheel can be replaced by a commutator 7 kind of wheel having an insulated surface on its periphery provided with a number of metal inj serts which number will vary according as to whether a subscriber requires a ticket for, every ten calls such as a residential telephone subscriber,a ticket every twenty calls, a ticket every fifty calls or a ticket every hundred calls. j metal inserts will be connected electrically to the The shaft and frame of the meter while an insulated contact spring will be supported from the frame to make electrical connection with a metal insert while the commutator wheel is moving from one position to the next while being out of electrical connection, while the commutator wheel is stamutator wheels for each kind of subscriber could convenientlyjbe constructed or alternatively insulationpieces instead of metal inserts could be a provided in positions where metal inserts are not required.

Referring now to Fig. 1, this shows on the top left-hand side a meter mechanism MTR of a subscriber on a typical automatic exchange, which mechanism is assumed to be mounted in fi andird 4 manner on a meter rack and to be wired out to the multiple or the numerical side of the intermediate distribution frame I.D.F. over which connection can be had with the associated subscribers line circuit in known manner. The inset Fig. 1A shows a possible alternative for new exchanges which in a manner to be later described enables the amount of exchange cable required to be reduced. I

The mechanism MTR is provided with a make contact mtr which closes momentarily after a predetermined value of calls has been registered, which in the case of unit fee calls would be the same as the number of effective calls (i. e. calls. which have to be'charged for), and in so doing eifects storage of the unit on a storage device individual to each subscriber. In this instance the storage device takes the form of a neon tube which is normally primed to a value which is insufilci'ent to cause it to' strike, but. which will enable it to maintain a discharge once it has 7 been struck as a result of the closure of the contact mtr. Other methods of storing the bulk unit such as condenser storage arrangements and the like could be employed but the above arrangement appears to ofier the most practicable solution. Neon tubes need only be of a very small cheap construction with a Wired-in mounting and so occupy little mounting space. The 'associated resistance required per subscriber can also be of the small inexpensive type as used in radio work. I

The neon tube when caused to strike in response to the registration of a bulk unit stores the unit by the discharge being maintained and at the same time starts up the identification finder switches SF (Fig. 1) and PF '(Fig. 2). The setting'of these switches provides an indication of the number and the class of the subscriber whose neon tube has been located, and this indication is obtained from the switches by a further switch PC (Fig. 3) which transfers it to the solenoids of a punching mechanism, whereupona ticket characteristic of the subscriber's number and his class is punched, and provides the record of a bulk unit comprising 10, 20, or local fee calls. It will be understood that while a punched ticket enables the cards of various subscribers to be automatically segregated by known mechanisms, the invention is not limited thereto as printed tickets could be sorted manually.

The finder switch SF shown in Fig. 1 comprises a 25 point reverse drive electromagnetically operated step-by-step uni-directional switch of known type with its wipers arranged in pairs, one of the pair being at degrees relationship with the other of the pair, so as to give a capacity of 50 points. .Two pairs of wipers and banks SFI and SP2; .SF3 and SP4, are moreover provided-so as to give a capacity of 100 points, discrimination as to the particular bank utilised being effected by relays KA and KB in Fig. 2. One such switch is provided per 100 group of subscribers, and the position it takes up determines the ten and units digits of the particular subscriber in question.

The remainder of the equipment required for recording purposes would depend on the size of the exchange and could conveniently for a 10,0(30 line exchange consist of a two motion 100 point selector switch operating a a finder switch which, in conjunction with the subscribers finder uni-selectors mentioned above, would cater fol- 10,000 lines. For flexibility purposes, however, so that the scheme can be readily applied the; smaller type of exchanges which are more normally encountered, use is preferably made of a uni-selector typeof common access switch which, with twenty-five sets of outlets would cater for 2,500 lines, while four uch units would together cater for a 10,000 line exchange.

A 2,500 line unit of this typeis shown in part of Figure 1, Figure 2 and in Figure 3 and includes a uniselector switch PF" together with marking-potential testing equipment comprising thermionic valves and associated relays. Also provided in this-unit is a so-called' subsorib'ers marking switch S which sets itself" to a position in accordance with the position of the subscribers finder switch SF and so enables the indication provided by the position of the latterswitch to be transferred into the common equipment in readiness for registration. The unit also includes the control uniselector PC which is common to the. exchange and which serves to transfor in turns the indications from the switches PF and S to the common punching equipment, the solenoids of which are shown at the left of Fig. 1.

Considering now the'operation of the circuit, when a bulk unit has been registered on meter MTR the contactsmtr are closed momentarily,

and in so doing extend the50 volts exchange-bat- "tery via the comparatively low resistance YA (common to 100 subscribers), common lead l3, meter contact mtr, neon tube NT, and common lead I I, winding of relay OR in parallel with rectifier MBA in a conductive direction, to an auxiliary 50 volts positive battery which may be that employed for booster battery metering purdischarge of neon tube NT is maintained by virtue of the permanent circuit which is provided therefor over, resistance Y8 and common lead iii to which is connected 2. tapping of the order of 20 volts off the 50 volts exchange battery. The

- 20 volts tapping together with the 50 voltsrpositive battery give a potential of 70* volts, but owing to voltage drop in resistance YB du to the current. flow resulting from the striking-ofthe tube, the tube itself will receive a potential less than this value. This potential is, however, suflicient to maintain the discharge of the tube, but it'will be understood that '70 volts potential actingalone is insufficient to bring about the initial discharge 'of the neon tube so that a. permanent circuit of the type described can be connected up to the tube without causing any possibility of false operation.

Relay CE in the subscribers, finder equipment is common to one hundred subscribers meters, audit is therefore possible that more than one neon tube in a hundred group will be in a flashed condition at any one time. To ensure that the potential drop across relay CR (and therefore across neon tube NT when in the discharged condition after contact mtr has restored) remains substantially constant irrespective of the number of neon tubes taking current therefrom, use is, made of the n0n-linear voltage/current characteristic of the metal rectifier MRA bridged across it. With one tube only in the discharged condition, the current flow through relay CR will correspondingly characteristic of the dry contact. rectifier is such 3 that with a small applied voltage its resistance is high, even though it is in acond-uctive direction, and hence it will" impose little shunting cffeot on relay CR2 With two neon tubesin the flashed condition the voltage drop across relay CR- will tend to be greater, and hence the metal rectifier will lower its resistance and will so maintain the total voltage drop across this part of the circuit at substantialiy the-original value.

Relay CR in operating at its armature crl extends earth on tocommon lead M extending to the number register equipment associated with the 2,500 lines unit of which the calling: subscribers line forms part, and at its armature 012 extends a marking battery via resistance "YC on to a contact in thebank of wipenPFlcorresponding to the particular hundred group'in the above 2,500 line unit. The earth extended over common lead I4 completes a self-interrupted driving circuit" for magnet PFM viacontacts Icwl, cf! and interrupter contacts pfm. The switch PF thereupon rotates its wipers until wiper PF4 encounters the marking battery applied by armature cs2. When this occurs the low resistance relay 0F (Fig. 2) operates in series" with resistance Y0 thereupon operates in a self-interrupted circuit torotate its' wipers in search of a position, correspending to the calling meter.

Testing for the particular meter ca-lling'is effected in the following manner. When a neon tube is in the extinguished condition, the potential at the point under test is, owing to the practically infinite resistance of the unstruck neon tube, that of the battery tapping connection connected to common lead l0, in this case 20 volts negative with respect to earth. Resistances YD and YE in the filaments of the valve circuits VA and VB are of such value that the filaments will be at a potential ofthe order of 16 volts negative to earth, and hence if either of thewipers PFI and PFZ encounter an undischarged neon tube, then a, potential 20 volts negative with respect to earth will-be'applied to the grid of the associated thermionic valve, thereby rendering the particular grid in question negative with respect to the filament, so that no anode current will flow to operate theanode relay- SAor SB. Rotation of the SF switch wipers will therefore continue until one or other of the wipers encounters the neon tube which is in a state of discharge (1. e. with a stored bulk unit thereon), whereupon a potential much less negative to earth than 20 volts negative will be encountered. In the present case, the tube in discharging and consequently lowering its resistance causes the potential of the point under test to moveaway from 20 volts negative to earth and to advance towards 50 volts positive to earth owing to the voltage drop in the Is-resistance YB. Assuming a current of two mill'iampsis flowingi'n the neon tube locking circuit and that resistance YB is10,000 ohms'resistance, then 20 volts will be dropped across'resistance V YB and the point under test will therefore be a earth potential. Provided this point is reduced to a value less than 16 volts negative with respect to earth, which is the mean valve filament potential, then the thermionic valve grid'in question will be rendered positive with respect to its filament and will allow anode current to flow such 'as will operate the magnet drive tripping relay SA or SB as the case may be.

In case any one of the wipers SFl- SFA of the switch SF should encounter a contact connecting with a, closed meter contact, a potential heavily negative with respect to earth will be obtained owing to the comparatively low resistance of re- .the registration of. thereadings of other meters in the exchange. Y

and VB are permanently connected to a 20 volt tapping on the exchange battery via the resistances Y G and .YH and it will be understood that these resistances which are of very high value, ofthe order of 2 megohms, merely serve to maintain at all times the potentials on the valve grids negative with respect to the filaments, so as to prevent premature operation of the' relays SA and SB or possible holding up of these relays after they have been operated; owing to the high value of the resistance this permanent connection to the valve grids does not interfere :with the testing functions of the valves..

' During the release of this relay, 50 volts positive potential is extended via resistance YF, armatures kbl, M2 and tsl wipers and banks PFl. and either circuit can however be recompleted to the switch magnet SFMsince the circuit thereto is disconnected at armature ka l. A locking circuit is completedfor relay KA independently of the armature sal atarmature ka'l, At armature kaB an earth potential is extended over wiper and bank PFs on to the wipers SF5 and SFG of the subscribers finder switch, and at armature ka5 (Fig.

3) an earth potential is extended over resting armature nsl to complete a self-interrupted drivgsistance' YA, and hence the thermionic valve will .not come into operation. A permanently sticking meter contact will not'therefore interfere with 8 V anode relay SB. Relay SB functions in'similar manner to relay SA. The operationof relay SB completes a circuit for relay KB at 12! which in turn at kbz completes a circuit for relay KA. The operation as far as relay KA is concerned is as before, relay KB modifying certain circuits as described hereinafter. In this way if relays SA and SB should both be operated simultaneously as might be the case the recording ofthe bulk unit represented by relay SB will have preference. At armature Icbl (Fig. 2) the neon tube extinguishing potential is extended from resistance YF over armature M3 and ts2, wiper and bank PF2, wiper and bank SP3 or SP4 and thence to the neon tube in question. Armature lcbz (Fig. 2) in addition .to providing an'operating circuit forrelay KA also S4 are brought into operation instead of wipers Itwill be noted that the grids of the valves VA 7 SF] 0! SF2 and lead I2 so as toshort circuit and.

- extin.guish the glowing neon tube, and to release relay CR. The same armature kaZ also causes ,the anode current flow in-the thermionic'valve VA to cease, whereupon relay SA restoresl ing circuit for the magnet SM of the marking" switch S via its interrupter contacts sm. The switch S thereupon rotates its wipers until wiper S1 or S8 encounters the earth marking extended on. to bank SF5 or SFB from armature IcaS, whereupon an operating circuit will be completed for relay NS which in operating cuts the driving circuit of magnet SM at-armature nsl (Fig. 3), and

atthe. same armature extendsa start earth over common lead l5 into the'exchange puncher con trolunit in order to signal that full particulars of i 'a block metering unit are available for recording.

If the subscriber in question had been in the and banks SI and S2for a reason which will be' appreciated in the ensuing description.

The operation of relay NS indicates that the marking switch S has been positioned on a contact corresponding to the position occupied by the subscribers finder switch SF, and at the same time indicates that all particulars of the block metering unit in question are available. The

puncher control uniselector PC is now set into operation first of all to find theparticular 2,500

,ment serving it so that when magnet PCMof switch PC is operated in a self-interrupted driving-circuit including armature cs2, magnet inter- .rupter contacts pcm, common lead |5 and armatures nsl and K to earth, its wipers are rotated until earth marking potential is encountered by wiper PC] or P02.

For the purpose of example it will be assumed that. the 10,000 line exchange in which meter MTR is located is situatedin an area employing a five digit numberingscheme, and that all subscribers have 5 digit numbers commencing with the digit 4. It will be further assumed that the number of the meter is 42311 so that it will be in the first 2,500 line group in the exchange.

Each 2,500 line group involves use of eight consecutive contacts in the switch banks .PCI and PCZ and in the present instance the first eight contacts will be required for determining the settings of the switches PF and SM, Accordingly the relay NS shown in operating will mark contact I of bank PC! with an earth potential over contact s2. Relay CS will therefore operate immediately and atiits armature cs2 will disconnect the driving circuit to the magnet PCM before this magnet has time to move its armature away from the normal position, andthe wipers of this switch will therefore remainin position 1. Relay CS in operating at its armature csl prepares alocking circuit for itself over multipled contacts of switch PC and at armaturecst completes an energising circuitfor the slow-to-operate-and-release relay IS by way of the magnet interrupter contacts pom. Relay IS in operating at its armature is! energises the slow-to-operate-and-release relay 1P, and this relay in turn at its armature ipl extends earth on to the wipers PC3 and P04, the banks of which are wired out to the four groups of 2,500 lines in the exchange, the wiring to the 2,500 line group in question only, however, being shown, while at armature i112 it completes an energising circuit for magnet PCM. Magnet PCM in energising opens itsinterrupter contacts pom and thereupon opens the circuit .for relay IS. Thisrelay. releases after a short interval and disconnects relay IP, whereupon after a further shortinterval PCM magnet circuit is opened and the magnet in releasing then advances :the switch wipers to position 2. Relays IS, IP,, and the magnet PCM continue to interact and cause the PC switch wipers to be advanced step-iby-s'tep round the banks ataspeed governed by .the releasertimes of the relays.

The ten thousands digit '4 of the subscribers number is common to all subscribers in the exchange, and hence th second contact in the selected group in the bank P03 can be directly wired via a simple cross-connection fram TTF, to the punching mechanism solenoid 4- (Fig. 1). When wiper P03 encounters contact 2 earth is thereupon-extended over wiper and bank P03, the cross connection frame and the connecting cable to energize the puncher solenoid 4 so as to cause this. number or a mark indicative thereof to be punched on a card or ticket.

In case the required number should comprise only four digits, this contact on the switch bank P03 would be wired out to the puncher spacing solenoid SS so that the card :Or ticket will be displaced a distance corresponding. to one character in readiness for the reception of the thousands digit from the puncher ontrol equipment.

ContactsBand 4 on bank P03 are'wired out to wipers PF5 and PEG, the position of which de termines the thousands and hundreds digits re- I .spectively of the meter MTR. 1n the present case, since these digits are respectively 2 and 3, they will be indicatedin the following manner. The switch PF serves to determine the particular hundreds group in which the discharged. neon tube is located, and since in the first 2,500 line group in the exchange the thousands digit of the subscribers numbers can be any of the digits 1, 2 or 3, the twenty-five contacts in the banks of switch PF can be divided up into twogroups of ten and one group of :five. If the wipers of this switch occupy any .one of the first ten contacts in the bank then the thousands digit will be 1, while if theyoccupIy any of the second ten contacts in the bank the thousands digit will be 2. Similarly, the hundreds digit can be determined in accordance with the particular contact in'the bank on which the PF wipers are situated. In the present case-these wipers will be positioned .ona contact I3 so that the thousandsdigit determining wiper PF5 will signal a thousands digitt2 to the puncher mechanism solenoids and the hundreds digit determining wiper PFB will signal a hundreds digit 3. As regardsthe bracketed nu- .merals associated with these banks PF5 andPFS, an explanation will be given later.

In a similar manner the tens and units digits can :be obtained :from the banks of the subscribers marking uniselector S. For signalling tens and units digits '1 and 1 .respectively switch S will have its wiper positioned as shown on contact l and relay KB will be 'unoperated so that the puncher control switch wiper P03 on reaching contact 5 will extend an earth over resting armature M14 and wiper Sil. .in position 1 .to energise the solenoid I for the .tens digit, while when wiper P03 .reaches position 16fit will extend an earth. over wiper S5 in position .1 :toenergise the :solenOid I again .for the units digit. In case the subscriber had been in 'the second fifty of the l0 hundred line group, then relay KZB woul have been operated, and, with the S switch wipers in position 1 the subscriber.s tens and units digits would-have been 61. s

The complete number 42311 has now been punched on a card or ticketand it is new necessary to record thereon the class of the particular subscriber involved in order that the value of the ticket can be assessed. When the puncher .control switch wipers ,reachcontact I it will beseen that earth is extendedin the present instance over resting armature Icb3, wiper and bank PFT, and wiper and bank SF! or SF8. Contacts of these banks are wired .out over asimple cross .connectionframe CCF to the punching, solenoids i, .2, 5 out] sothat a mark ornumber characteristic of the class of the subscriber involved can be recorded onthe ticket.

When theswitch PC reaches the eighth and last contact in the selected group relay RR therei is operated and at its armature r r-l (Fig. 2) releases relayKA (and relay KB in addition if this has been operated) whereupon relay NS is released and the circuit to relay IS in the puncher control equipment isopened while at the same time relay CS therein .is also restored to normal so that the equipment .is nowin readiness for further use.

It will .be noted that none of the switches are of the homing type so that hunting for a new position, in response to the completion of a bulk unit on another meter, will take place from the position which they occupy at theconclusio of th previous set-up. The recording of local fee calls in bulk units against other subscribers on the exchange will be appreciated on examination of the wiring arrangements to the banks of the switches PF and vSM in Figs, 2 (and 3. In this connection it should be understood that th figures shown 'in brackets against the thousands and hundreds digit determining banks PF5 and PFS (Fig. 3) refer to the connections of equivalent banks to the punching magnets in number registers associated with other 2,500 line groups on "the exchange. Thus while number 3488 will be in the first 2 ,5010 line group and will be marked onthe 24th contacts of PF5 and PFG jointly, the number 3688'wi1l be marked on the 21stcontact of contacts of another pair of wiperssimilar .to PF5 and PFB and connected to the appropriate contacts'of switch P03 attached to the second 2,500

line group.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the arrangements according to the invention, whereby local fee calls are adapted to be aggregated intobulk .units which are stored prior to'collection, poss.ess the advantage that a subscriber can continue with the accumulation of a second "bulk unit before the .first stored unit has been registered by the exchange punching mechanism, it being only necessary to ensure that before the second block has been completed the effect of the storage of the first block has been removed.

There is no .difiiculty therefore in ensuring that however fast callsare set up by a subscriber, all

his effective .calls will be recorded even if other subscribers should be completing their blocks of calls atthesametime and requiring the service of the identification equipment and of the punching mechanism.. I

In thecase where there is more than one unit awaiting collection .and registration then if all the meters concerned are in the same 2,500-line group the switches SF and ,PF'in the associated number "register. "equipment. will position themiii selves on the first meter marking to be encoun- I tered. Ihe bulk unit stored thereon will then be collected and. registered after which, since one or more relays CR will still 'be operated, the switches will hunt again for a new position and I 'the bulk unit stored in a second neon tube will, be registered, and so on. If the meters concerned 1' are in different 2,500 line-groups thentheorder 3 in which the bulk units are collected will be def pendent on the order in-which the associated groups appear on the trol switch PC.

banks of the puncher con- Although in the arrangement described a one exchange only at any one time, and this could beeffected by connecting the puncher to the wipj ers of a finder switch, the banks of which would connect with a number of exchanges. ,When any number'registering mechanism wishedto extend particulars to the common punching mechanism the finder switch would'be caused to associate itself with the particular exchange in question and particulars could then be extended forward,

possibly in code so as to reduce the number of conductors between the various exchanges" and the common point, after which the puncher would be freed to deal with details-'from other'exchange registering equipments;

1 In the above connection the puncher mecha I *nismmight be located for instance in'the 'main 1 exchange of an area and tickets could be transl "ferreddaily' to the accounts branch;'alternatively,

the punchermechanism could'be located in the 'accounts'branchfin'which case the exchange staff would not 'be concerned in" a yf way with registration;

' The tickets delivered from the punching mechanism will be preferably fedihto'an'automatic sorter and then arranged in trays containing a compartment per subscriber; 'When'it is desired to-make upa'subscribers account the relevant tickets could thenbe counted, multiplied by the appropriate 'bulkunit'charge, and recorded on the account either manually or by automatic accounting machines. Ti

Since-"incompleted bulk-units are not regis- 'tered they will be automatically transferred to the next account. f

- Consideringnow the mounting of theequip 'ment and the exchange cabling required therefor, the general case of exchanges of the step-by steptype will be considered." 'In'the' case'of ex- "isting exchanges the meter mechanisms will be 'mounted' in the usual" manner on' meter racks and willconnect with the various subscribers line 3 circuits over cables which extend thereto via the intermediate distribution frame 7 I. D." F. The

neontub'e and associated resistance provided per subscriber may be mounted on the meter racks iin which case the meter contactsmay be wired 1 puncher mechanism is assumed to be provided 1 per exchange, since its holding time is very small, "of the order of two'seconds, it may prove worth- 1 while to arrange for one suchmechanism to serve a number of exchanges in an area. Arrangements would of course have to be made to ensure that n the puncher mechanism: could be associated with 22,0

iii)

directly thereto 'or'alternatively the neon tube ancl associated resistance might' be mounted on the final selector racks inwhich case a single lead from each meter contact will extend via a cable -to theas'socia'tedneon tube, The: subscribersj 1 finder switch SF and associated relay and "resist.

ance will preferably be mounted on the final selector rackand the remainder of the equipment l -Whih operate 91 a morellcommon basis-will be for registering all of said calls.

' conveniently mounted on the alarm equipment rack.) In the case of new e'xchangesuse can be -in'acleof the invention to avoid the use of separate meter racks by arranging to mount the separate 'meter'mecha'nisms on the associated lineifinder or line switch racks so that the-exchange cabling hitherto required will beavoided. In this caseas is briefly shown in'the inset Fig, 1A, the neon tube and associated resistance per subscriberwill be mounted on the final selector rack and asingle lead from each meter contact will be extended via a cable and theIQ DIF. tothe associated neon tube. By this arrangement. therefore iin which the meter mechanisms are mountedon the .local side of the I. D. F. as distinct from the multiple side as in thegeneral case hitherto, a'saving in 7 exchange cable is effected since only'onecable wire per meter is required. V

The method of identification describediis not essential as any known method of identification may be employed, for instance, the method according to which potentials are placed ondifferent lines at different instants in acycle as described in the applications of R. Taylor and G. T. Baker, Serial Nos. 321,783 and 380,226 filed March 1, 1940 and February 24, 1941. l

It will be appreciated that it is'desired to cover a subscribers individual meter or to the recording of each individual call; I 7

It is not essential to the invention that the recording should bedone in such a Way that the I tickets can be automatically sorted as of course the sorting could be done'manually; similarly-it is not essential that the recording should be done automatically as an attendant could-be signalled and the necessary information notified to her for instanceby a call indicator to enable her to make out the ticket manually.

It will also be understood that the method of registering the block unit need not necessarily consist of a counting arrangement as in the usual subscribers meter but may'equally well consist of any form of integrating arrangement such as an electric watt hour, or ampere hour meter.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;

1. In a telephone or like system having subscribers linesland. equipment for extending calls from said lines, apparatus common to said subscribers lines, means for associating said 'appa-V ratus with any one of said lines after-a plurality of calls have been extended from that line, and.

means in said apparatus operated responsive to said association of theapparatus with said line 2; In a telephone or like system having a subscribers line and means for'making calls thereover, means for automatically -connectingwith said line at intervals and, upon each suchconnection,vregi'stering .allcalls made overthe line duringthepreceding interval a e a 3; 'In'a telephone or like system having a subscribers line and mean .for ,making calls from said line, a registernormally dissociated from said line, means for associating said re gister with said 13 line periodicallyand, upon each such-association,- operating said register in accordance with the fee chargeable forall calls made from said line since the last such association of said register with said line. p r 4. In a telephone or like system having a subscribers line eXten-dingto an exchangeand equipment for makin calls from said line, means at said exchange governed-by one such call from said line for registering that call and at least one call made previously from said line.

'5; In a telephone or like system, aplurality of subscribers lines, means for registering'individually-each call made frem each-of said lines, and means common to said lines controlled by said last means for registering,- inblocks, the calls madefrom each of said lines, 'each said block including-more than one call. I V

'6; In a telephone or "like system, a subscribers line, means controlled oversaid line-for registerin calls made from saidline' on a unit call 'b'a-'- sis, and means controlled by said last means'for recording calls made from said line on 'a block call basis.

7.In- "a telephone or like system wherein a certain value is assessed to each telephone call, a plurality of subscribers lines, a recorder, means for identifying any one of said lines responsive to that line making a group of successive telephone calls aggregating a predetermined value, and means controlled by said last means for operating said recorder variably in accordance with the identity of said one line.

8. In a telephone or like system having a plurality of subscribers lines and means for including each of said lines in difierent telephone connections at different times, each such connection having an arbitrary value assigned to it, means controlled by each telephone connection for registering, against the subscribers line included in said connection, the value of that connection,

and means controlled by said registering means for identifying the line of any one of said subscribers responsive to the aggregate value of connections registered against that line reachin predetermined total.

9. In a telephone or like system having a plurality of subscribers lines and means for including each of said lines in different telephone connections at difierent times, each such connection having an arbitrary value assigned to it, a register individual to each said line operated to register the value of the different connections in which that line is included, apparatus common to said lines, means controlled by the register individual to any one of said linesfor seizing said apparatus responsive to the aggregate value of connections registered by that register reaching a predetermined total, and means controlled by said apparatus responsive to said seizure for recording the identity of said one line and the aggregate value of connections registered by the register individual to said one line.

10. In a telephone or like system having a plurality of subscribers lines and means for includil'ig each of said lines in different telephone connections at different times, each such connection having an arbitrary value assigned to it, a register individual to each said line operated to re ister the value of the different connections in which that line is included, apparatus common to said lines, means controlled by the register individual to any one of said lines for seizin said apparatus responsive to the aggregate value of connections registered by that register reaching a predetermined total, and a common register in said apparatus operated, responsive to said seizure, in'accordance with the registration of said register individual-to-saidone line.-

11. In a telephone or like-systemhaving a subscribers line and 'means'for including-said line in different I telephone connections at difierent times,each-such connection having an arbitrary value assigned to it, means controlled by each connection for registering the valueassigned to that connection, a recorder, and means controlled scribers line and means for including said line in different telephone connections-at difi'erent times, each such connection having an arbitrary ine assigned to it, a primary register controlledfby each connection for registerin thexvalue 'assigned to that connection, asecondary "register; meanspperatedby said prirnaryregister for storinga marking in said secondaryregister respon sive to the registered aggregatevalue' ofconnections reaching a predetermined value, saidsecondary register thereaften controlled by said stored marking independently of said primary register to register said aggregate value of connections.

13. In a telephone or like system having a subscribers line and means for including said line in different telephone connections at different times, each such connection having an arbitrary value assigned to it, a primary register controlled by, each connection for registering the value assigned to that connection, a secondary register, means operated by said primary register for stor ing a marking in said secondary register responsive to the registered aggregate value of connections reaching a predetermined value, said second ary register thereafter controlled by said stored marking independently of said primary register to register said aggregate value of connections, and means operated automatically by said secondary register after it has registered said aggregate value of connections for causing said storing means to efface said marking.

14. In a telephone or like system having a subscribers line and means for including said line in different telephone connections at different times, each such connection having an arbitrary value assigned to it,' a primary register controlled by each connection for registering the value assigned to that connection, a normally non-conductive neon tube, means operated by said register to strike said tube responsive to the registered aggregate value of connections reaching a predeterinined value, a secondary register controlled by said tube, said secondary register operated in ac cordance with the operation of said primary register responsive to said striking of said tube.

15. In a telephone or like system having a subscribers line and means for including said line in diiferent telephone connections at different times, each such connection having an arbitrary value assigned to it, a primary register controlled by each connection for registering the value assigned to that connection, a normally non-conductive neon tube, means operated by said register to strike said tube responsive to the registered aggregate value of connections reaching a predetermined value, a secondary register said secondary register operated in accordance with i value of said connections.

3 ferent subscribers lines. r r 7 H \19. In a telephone or like system, a subscribers line having individual line equipment, an adding V after its operation for again rendering said neon tube non-conductive.

1 16. In a telephone or like system having a sub:

3 s'cribers line and means for'including said line indifferent telephone connections at =difierent eluding said line for registering the aggregate 17. In a telephone or like system; subscribers ated in accordance with the fee chargeable to ,18'. A'system'as claimed in claim 17, wherein 3 said predetermined total fee,gre'spon sive to the accumulation of which said common apparatus is associated with a subscriber's line difiers for'dif- 3 lines, means individualto each of said lines operregister associated with said line equipment and operated on successivecalls from said line to accumulate a registration indicative of the total charge for said calls, and means controlled by said register for producing a circuit change in said line equipment responsive to the accumulationof a registration indicative of a predetermined total charge. H r

20." In a telephone or like system having a subscribers line and equipment for extending calls therefrom, each call including a telephonic path, another path independent of said telephonic path, means fort-registering said calls on a unit call basis, and means controlled by said last means over saidother path for recording said calls on a block call basis. I 21. Ina telephone system having subscribers linesand equipment for making calls from said lines, means common to said lines controlledby the making of a call from any particular one of said lines'for registering'another call made'previously from said particular line.

REGINALD TAYLOR. I GEORGE THOMAS BAKER. ARTHUR CHARLES CORNER. 

